Thawing Loss Research Articles

Changes in Carcass Composition, Meat Quality Traits, and Stress Levels in Culled Sows Exposed to Different On-Farm Rest Periods

The study investigated the effect of on-farm rest period (RP) on carcass composition, meat quality, and stress indicators of culled sows. The study was conducted on 84 Large White × Landrace culled sows, which were divided into seven groups (n = 12) with respect to the duration of the on-farm rest period: no rest period (N-RP) group and 1 to 6 weeks of on-farm rest period (1–6 RP). After completion of the on-farm RP, each group of culled sows was slaughtered and the carcass and meat quality traits were determined. Sows from 6-RP had a significantly higher dressing percentage and backfat thickness and, together with sows from 5-RP, a higher shoulder weight. The highest shoulder percentage was found in the 3-RP and 4-RP groups, while 1-RP had the highest percentage for the belly–rib part. At the same time, RP influenced the final pH values (pH24 SM and pH24 LL) measured in the longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LT) and in the musculus semimembranosus (SM), as well as drip loss, thawing loss, cooking loss, and tenderness. As far as the stress indicators are concerned, statistical differences between groups were only found in the cortisol level, which was lowest in 6-RP. The results show that RP has a positive effect on meat quality traits and carcass composition. In addition, prolonged RP has a positive effect on the levels of stress indicators.

Application of multi-frequency ultrasonic thawing on pork: Thawing rate, quality properties and microstructure

This study investigated the effects of ultrasonication on thawing rate, physicochemical properties, water migration, distribution and microstructure of pork at different frequency combination modes (mono-, dual- or tri-frequency sequential and simultaneous modes). The results showed that ultrasonic-assisted thawing increased the thawing rate and shortened the thawing time by 26.72–64.99 % compared to water immersion thawing, and inhibited the lipid oxidation. Regarding the quality characteristics of frozen pork, the samples thawed by combined tri-frequency sequential ultrasound mode (TSEU) at 20/50/35 kHz exhibited better water retention (lower thawing loss and cooking loss) and physicochemical quality (lowest hardness, highest tenderness, lower TBARS values). Low-field nuclear magnetic resonance results displayed that the mobility and loss of bound and free water in pork tissue reduced effectively after ultrasound treatment at 20/50/35 kHz. The microstructure analysis revealed that the microstructure of pork thawed by 20/50/35 kHz was closest to that of fresh meat, and the distribution of muscle fibers was close and regular. Therefore, TSEU at 20/50/35 kHz was considered to be the most appropriate treatment for pork thawing, which could significantly accelerate the thawing rate and maintaining the meat quality.

Mono-frequency ultrasonic-assisted thawing of frozen goose meat: Influence on thawing efficiency, product quality and microstructure

This study aimed to investigate the influences of mono-ultrasound assisted thawing on the thawing efficiency, product quality and conformational characteristics of frozen goose meat. The thawing time, thawing loss, muscle quality, and microstructure of frozen goose meat were studied. The results displayed that ultrasonic-assisted thawing effectively reduced the thawing time by 45.37–57.58% compared with non-sonicated group, and significantly decreased the thawing loss. For the quality properties of goose meat tissue, ultrasound-assisted thawing with single-frequency of 50 kHz indicated a lower protein turbidity; meanwhile, hardness values were also significantly increased, and displayed a higher springiness, gumminess and chewiness of goose meat tissue. The microstructure analysis exhibited that the conformation of goose myofibrillar protein (MP) was modified following ultrasonic-assisted thawing, and became closer and more irregular. Therefore, ultrasound-assisted thawing treatments at 50 kHz mono-frequency (temperature 25℃) have a high potential application value in the thawing research of frozen goose meat, and lay a theoretical foundation for use in the meat process industries.

Low-frequency alternating magnetic field thawing of frozen pork meat: Effects of intensity on quality properties and microstructure of meat and structure of myofibrillar proteins

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the changes in quality properties and microstructure of pork meat as well as structural variation in myofibrillar proteins (MPs) after low-frequency alternating magnetic field thawing (LF-MFT) with different intensities (1–5 mT). LF-MFT at 3–5 mT shortened the thawing time. LF-MFT treatment significantly influenced the quality properties of meat and notably improved the structure of MPs (P < 0.05), compared to atmosphere thawing (AT). Especially, among the thawing treatments, LF-MFT-4 (LF-MFT at 4 mT) had the lowest values of thawing loss and drip loss, and the least changes in the color and myoglobin content. Regarding the results of rheological properties and micrographs, an optimal gel structure and a more compact muscle fiber arrangement formed during LF-MFT-4. Moreover, LF-MFT-4 was beneficial for improving the conformation of MPs. Therefore, LF-MFT-4 reduced the deterioration of porcine quality by protecting MPs structure, indicating a potential use in the meat thawing industry.

Cryoprotective Effects of Carrageenan Oligosaccharides on Crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) during Superchilling.

Cryoprotectants are widely used to protect muscle tissue from ice crystal damage during the aquatic products freezing process, but traditional phosphate cryoprotectants may cause an imbalance in the calcium-to-phosphorus ratio for the human body. This study evaluated the effects of carrageenan oligosaccharides (CRGO) on quality deterioration and protein hydrolysis of crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) during superchilling. The physical-chemical analyses showed that CRGO treatments could significantly (p < 0.05) inhibit the increase of pH values, TVB-N, total viable counts, and thawing loss, and improve the water holding capacity and the proportion of immobilized water, which indicated that CRGO treatment effectively delayed the quality deterioration of crayfish. The myofibrillar protein structural results demonstrated that the increase of the disulfide bond, carbonyl content, S0-ANS, and the decrease of total sulfhydryl content were suppressed significantly (p < 0.05) in CRGO treatment groups. Furthermore, SDS-PAGE results showed that the band intensity of myosin heavy chain and actin in CRGO treatment groups were stronger than in the control. Overall, the application of CRGO to crayfish might maintain better quality and stable protein structure during the superchilling process, and CRGO has the potential to replace phosphate as a novel cryoprotectant for aquatic products.

Dietary xanthophyll improved growth, antioxidant, pigmentation and meat quality in the southern catfish (Silurus soldatovi meridionalis Chen).

Xanthophyll has multiple physiological functions to improve the quality of farmed animals. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of xanthophyll on the growth performance, antioxidation, immunity, pigmentation and meat quality of southern catfish (Silurus soldatovi meridionalis Chen). Juvenile southern catfish (18.35±0.04g) were randomly allocated into 24 cages (30 juveniles per cage), and fed diets with different dietary xanthophyll levels (at 14, 42, 80, 108, 126 and 152mg/kg, dry matter of diet) twice daily for 8 weeks. Results indicated that the diet with 80mg/kg xanthophyll induced a higher specific growth rate (SGR), feed efficiency ratio and protein productive value. Moreover, the 80mg/kg xanthophyll dietalso increased complement 3, immunoglobulin M (IgM) and lysozyme content more than the other groups. The mRNA expression level of inflammation-related genes and antioxidant enzyme activities further confirmed the effects of 80mg/kg dietary xanthophyll on improving immune response. The present study also found that the 126mg/kg xanthophyll diet significantly enhanced the content of total carotenoids and xanthophyll, hydroxyproline, collagen and amino acid in muscle. The diet with 126mg/kg xanthophylls also induced lower drip loss, thawing loss, centrifugal loss, cooking loss and higher muscle adhesiveness, cohesiveness, springiness, gumminess and chewiness than the other treatments. In conclusion, quadratic regression model analysis based on SGR and IgM revealed that the optimum xanthophyll level in the diet was 86.78 and 84.63mg/kg, respectively. Moreover, broken line regression analysis based on xanthophyll content in dorsal skin and chewiness in muscle demonstrated that the optimal xanthophyll level was between 89.73 and 108.66mg/kg in the diet of southern catfish (S.soldatovi meridionalis Chen).

Meat quality characteristics of Tankwa goats from Carnarvon, Northern Cape

The aim of this study was to determine the post-mortem meat quality characteristics of extensively reared Tankwa goats to identify the most favourable age and sex for slaughter. Twenty-four goats, representing five groups, namely young intact males (G1), young females (G25), young castrates (G3), old males (G4), and females (G5), were selected directly from their natural grazing environment and slaughtered to evaluate meat quality characteristics. The Musculus longissimus and Musculus semimembranosus from the right side of each carcass were evaluated. Dressing percentage and chilling losses did not differ significantly between the groups. Ultimate pH at 24 hours after slaughter was higher for males than females. Meat colour, water-holding capacity, and sarcomere length did not differ between groups. Myofibril fragmentation length (MFL) was on average less than 40 μm and was shorter in younger animals. There were no significant differences in cooking loss and thawing loss for M. longissimus and M. semimembranosus between groups. There were no significant differences in Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF) between groups for meat from the M. semimembranosus. However, WBSF of the M. longissimus was higher in older animals. Overall, meat from these goats can be regarded as tender because meat with a WBSF below 5.5 is considered as tender.

Effect of ultrasonic thawing temperature on the quality of quick-frozen small yellow croaker (Larimichthys polyactis) and its possible mechanisms

Thawing temperature is an important factor affecting the thawing quality characteristics of quick-frozen small yellow croakers. The objective of this study was to reveal the effect of ultrasonic-assisted low-temperature (U-LT) thawing on the physicochemical quality and structural characteristics of myofibrillar protein (MPs) of quick-frozen small yellow croakers, and to select the optimal thawing temperature. The results showed that the color difference (ΔE) and total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) value of the small yellow croakers gradually increased with the increase of the temperature (2 °C, 6 °C, 10 °C, 15 °C). Compared with other thawed groups, the thawed sample of U-LT 6 °C (20 kHz, 50 W/L) had the lowest thawing loss (5.44%), cooking loss (7.87%), and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance (TBARS) value (0.24 mg MDA/kg). Moreover, the MPs obtained by U-LT 6 °C thawing had the highest total sulfhydryl content (107.84 μmol/g protein) and free amino content (275.27 mmol/g), and the proportion of secondary structure was closest to the fresh sample. Therefore, U-LT 6 °C thawing can guarantee less loss in quality of the samples than other thawing methods. Meanwhile, U-LT 6 °C thawing may ensure the quality parameters of the fish by reducing the structural changes of MPs.

Effects of radio frequency thawing on the quality characteristics of frozen mutton

Radio frequency (RF) has the advantages of high efficiency and penetrability, but the effects of RF on meat thawing have not been thoroughly examined compared with air thawing. The effects of RF thawing and air thawing on efficiency, physicochemical properties, microstructure, and the total viable counts (TVC) of mutton were investigated using a 6 kW, 27.12 MHz RF system. Thawing from − 18–4 °C, RF thawing (0.5 h) took less time than air thawing (8.1 h). RF-thawed samples maintained better color and texture than air-thawed samples. The thawing loss, the total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) content, and the TVC in RF-thawed samples were less than in air-thawed samples. Furthermore, RF thawing reduced myofibrillar protein content compared with air thawing. Micrographs also showed that the microstructure was slightly damaged with RF thawing, whereas the organizational structure was damaged much more severely with air thawing. Based on this study, RF heating has great potential application value in the thawing of meat.

Change of the frozen storage quality of concentrated Mongolian milk curd under the synergistic action of ultra-high pressure and electric field

Based on the response surface method, the curd was frozen with a low voltage electrostatic field (LVEF) at −40 °C for 30 days after being treated by 286 MPa for 19 min. Compared with natural frozen samples, LVEF can effectively reduce freezing time and thawing loss of curd by 19.1 and 5.2%, respectively. LVEF reduced the size and rounded edges of ice crystals, maintaining color and hardness. The ultra-high-pressure-assisted (HPP) not only greatly accelerates the freezing rate and reduces thawing loss, but also delays proteolysis, and reduces loss of aroma. Also, HPP increases the β-fold and decreases random curl, leading stable secondary structure of the protein. However, the HPP yellowed the curd and increased its viscoelasticity. Both HPP and LVEF greatly decreased the Total Viable Count and Lactic Acid Bacteria count in curd. The HPP-LVEF-treated curd showed 50% decrease in freezing time, and a similar microstructure to fresh curd, suggesting that HPP before freezing and a combination of LVEF during freezing could improve the quality of frozen curd.

Analysis of the water state and microfractal dimension of tilapia fillets during freezing and thawing.

To study the effects of freezing and thawing times and freezing temperatures on the water state and microstructure of tilapia fillets, experiments on tilapia fillets were carried out at -4 and -18°C with one to four freezing and thawing cycles (FTCs). Low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) and nuclear magnetic resonance imaging were used to observe the water state after different treatments, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and frozen sections were used to observe the microstructure changes. Fractal dimension (FD) was used to quantitatively characterize the microstructure of the fish tissue, and the correlation between FD and fish fillet quality parameters was studied by principal component analysis (PCA). The findings showed that with the increase of FTCs, the thawing loss increased, and the water holding capacity (WHC) fell. FTCs cause a decrease in immobilized water and an increase in free water in the fillet. This indicates the migration of immobilized water to free water. SEM and frozen slice images showed that the growth of ice crystals led to the destruction of myogenic fibers. A decrease in freezing temperature inhibited ice crystal growth. The FD value dropped in accordance with an increase in FTCs. PCA demonstrated that the WHC, NMR data, and FD value had a strong correlation with the quality changes in the tilapia fillets. Therefore, FD and water state can reflect the quality characteristics of tilapia fillets. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The water migration in tilapia fillets is detected with LF-NMR, and the microscopic image may be quantified using the FD value. Both approaches can offer fresh perspectives on how to assess the quality of tilapia fillets and reflect changes in their quality.

Partial replacement of sodium pyrophosphate by xylitol and mannitol in whiteleg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) on its quality during frozen storage preservation

Polyphosphate is widely used as a food additive for soaking seafood products to improve their water holding capacity and sensory properties. Xylitol and mannitol are well-known as versatile cryoprotectants which are beneficial for frozen storage. This research evaluated the possibility of a combination of xylitol and mannitol with pyrophosphate to reduce the thawing loss, and cooking loss as well as to retain the myofibrillar protein content during 12 months of frozen preservation. Results showed that the combination of sodium pyrophosphate, xylitol and mannitol (1.5%:0.5%:0.5%) created a synergistic effect with the lowest thawing loss (0.10±0.03 to 1.64±0.03%) and cooking loss (2.13±0.04 to 8.79±0.04%), the highest myofibrillar protein content (99.72±0.13 mg/g) on frozen shrimp throughout 12 months of frozen preservation. Xylitol and mannitol would be promising alternatives to partially replace polyphosphate in frozen shrimp production.

Non-destructive prediction of colour and water-related properties of frozen/thawed beef meat by Raman spectroscopy coupled multivariate calibration

Freeze-thaw accelerated the colour deterioration of beef with the increase of colour b* and the decrease of colour a* values (P < 0.05). The maximum exudate loss reached 22 % after the seventh freeze–thaw. A strong correlation between the transversal relaxation time T21 and thawing loss may mean that T21 water contributed to the exudate loss during freeze–thaw. Afterwards, competitive adaptive reweighted sampling-partial least square (CARS-PLS) has the best prediction in thawing loss of frozen/thawed beef with correlation coefficients of prediction (Rp) of 0.971, and root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) of 1.436. Besides, Uninformative variable elimination-partial least squares (UVE-PLS) showed good prediction effects on colour values (Rp = 0.932 – 0.994) and water content (Rp = 0.928, RMSEP = 0.582) of frozen/thawed beef. Therefore, this work demonstrated that Raman spectroscopy coupled with multivariate calibration has a good ability for non-destructive prediction in colour and water-related properties of frozen/thawed beef.

Synergism effect of low voltage electrostatic field and antifreeze agents on enhancing the qualities of frozen beef steak: Perspectives on water migration and protein aggregation

In this study, a synergistic strategy utilizing low-voltage electrostatic field (LVEF) and antifreeze agents (4% sucrose +4% sorbitol) was proposed to reduce quality deterioration of prepared beef steak during freezing. The effects of the synergistic treatment on the water holding capacity, texture and muscle ultrastructure, myofibrillar protein (MP) aggregation was studied. Results showed that co-treatment significantly reduced thawing losses (about 41%) by preventing the migration of immobilized water to free water and reduced ice crystal size compared to air freezing (AF). In addition, co-treatment positively affected texture properties by shortening the gap between muscle fibers and maintaining the structural integrity of the sarcomeres. Moreover, synergistic treatment inhibited the unfolding of the MP structure and the formation of MP aggregates by strengthening non-covalent interactions. These results seem to demonstrate that LVEF can remarkably enhance the effects of cryoprotectants, which provides a new perspective on food cryoprotection. Industrial relevanceFreezing is the most common method of preserving prepared meat products, however, the formation of large ice crystals and the denaturation of muscle proteins are two major causes of quality deterioration during conventional air-freezing. In this study, a LVEF system was applied to the freezing process of prepared meat products, and a comparative and synergistic study was carried out with the current industry common chemical freezing protection methods (addition of antifreeze). The results showed that the synergistic treatment greatly promoted the nucleation of food products, shortened the phase transition time, reduced the ice crystal size and effectively reduced the thawing losses by approximately 41%. The green freezing system can be easily adapted to scenarios such as cold chain transport and cold storage. And the LVEF intensifies the interaction of antifreeze molecules with protein and water molecules, which seems to open up even more possibilities in cryopreservation.

The effects of trehalose synergy with NaCl on the textural, water distribution, and microstructure of snakehead fish filets induced by freeze-thaw cycles.

In this study, we investigated the effect of trehalose in concert with NaCl on the flesh of snakehead fish that had undergone freeze-thaw cycles. Four groups of treatments were compared in this study, including distilled water, 3% NaCl, antifreeze (4% wt/vol) with 3% NaCl, and 4% trehalose (wt/vol) with 3% (wt/vol) NaCl. The results showed that the addition of 4% trehalose (wt/vol) with 3% (wt/vol) NaCl reduced the cracks between muscle fibers and the pores on muscle fiber bundles caused by freeze-thaw cycles during frozen storage of snakehead fish, thus reducing mechanical damage to the fish tissue structure. Moreover, the treatment was able to reduce the thawing loss of snakehead fillets, reduce cooking loss, and help maintain the color of the fish. Further, 4% trehalose (wt/vol) + 3% (wt/vol) NaCl (T) could slow down the reduction of hardness, elasticity, and chewiness of fish fillets during frozen storage. This study provides a theoretical basis for reducing the freeze-thaw cycle on the quality changes of snakehead fish during transportation and marketing.

Understanding the effect of different rehydration water temperatures on a novel vacuum sublimation-rehydration thawing method

The rehydration water temperature is a key factor in the novel vacuum sublimation-rehydration thawing (VSRT) method. This study aimed to understand the effects of the rehydration water temperature on the thawing time and efficiency and the energy consumption of the VSRT method. Further, this study also compared parameters with that of the vacuum steam thawing (VST) method. At a rehydration water temperature was approximately 25 °C, the thawing time was relatively short (42.3 min). Further, the thawing loss (0.56%), total color difference (1.68), and system-specific energy consumption (41.7 × 10−3 kWh/kg) were also relatively low. This study found that, compared with the VST method, the thawing time could be shortened by 38.9%, and the thawing loss, total color difference, and system-specific energy consumption could be reduced by 71.6%, 68.8%, 28.6%, respectively. Further, the texture of thawed pork was closer to that of the raw fresh pork in the VSRT method. Thus, in comparison to the VST method, the VSRT method is more advantageous in terms of increasing the appearance of thawed food and decreasing energy consumption during the thawing process.

STUDY THE EFFECT OF STRAIN MEASURES OF POST-RESUSCITATE AGING AND AGE AT SLAUGHTER ON BROILER MEAT QULITY

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between broiler strain, slaughter age, and post-chill (PC) aging duration in terms of measurable meat quality parameters. Two hundred fifty Hubbard on one day old chicks classic and two hundred fifty Lohman were bread in a commercial setting. Each strain had half of its broiler chicks slain at 32 days of age and the other half at 42 days of age. A total of 168 bodies (84 Hubbard and 84 Lohman) were selected at random on each day of processing, with each strain being divided into 28 groups and aged for 0, 4, and 24 hours. Each strain had a comparable average weekly body weight. Hubbard strain animals demonstrated greater feed conversion ratios during weeks two and three of life (P≥ 0.05). A bird's age had a significant effect (p≥0.05) on initial pH of the carcass, with birds that were 32 days old having lower pH values (41 days old). Carcass temperature of Lohman’s was higher than Hubbard's at 0h, 2h, and 4h post-PC (p≥0.001). Breast temperature was lower in younger birds throughout all PC assessment intervals (p≥0.001). Stress, age, and aging time had no effect on thaw loss, cook loss, and water holding capacity. Meat of Lohman strain was softer (P≥0.05) than meat of Hubbard strain, and as broiler age and aging time rose, softness also improved. The Hubbard strain produced meat was lighter in color and less red than that of Lohman strain, which came from birds of that darker. It was determined that the breast meat quality features were most affected by strain, slaughter age and PC aging period and that softer fillet could be achieved by maturing for 4 hours before to deboning.

The two-stage air thawing based on low voltage electric field (LVEF) can make the quality of thawed chicken breast close to that before freezing

Low voltage electric field (LVEF) thawing has been shown to be an effective method of thawing. In this study, chicken breast meat was thawed in a fixed electric field voltage (2.5 KV), and the thawing process was divided into two stages: stage Ⅰ (−20 °C to −5 °C) and stage Ⅱ (−5 °C to −1 °C). The effects of two-stage air thawing based on low voltage electric field (TLT) on the quality of chicken breast were investigated by altering the thawing temperature (T1 and T2) in two stages. The results showed that TLT could significantly (P＜0.05) reduce thawing time and thawing loss than air thawing. Among them, TLT22.5–7.5 samples almost retained the same tissue structure as fresh chicken breast, allowing the muscle fibers/bundles to capture more immobile water. TLT22.5–7.5 samples not only kept the color similar to fresh meat, but also had an obviously better moisture correlation characteristic than other thawed samples. TLT also demonstrated a strong microbial reproduction inhibitory impact. The thawed chicken could obtain a comparatively fresh quality if T2 was kept below 15 °C. Therefore, TLT is expected to reduce total thawing time and prevent meat quality deterioration caused by the freezing and thawing process.

Physical and Chemical Properties of Meat in Relation to Wooden Breast Myopathies in Male Broiler Chickens Raised in Evaporative Cooling Systems

Background: There are few scientific reports of the occurrence of wooden breast (WB) in Thailand. This study aimed to evaluate the incidence and effect of WB on the physical and chemical properties of meat from chickens reared under an evaporative cooling system (EVAP). Methods: A total 124 broiler chickens (BW = 2721.27±273.40 g) were selected from a group of 588 male broiler chickens (at 36 days of age). The WB meat (left site) score of each chicken was identified as being normal, moderate or severe. In order to compare the effect of the WB score on meat quality, based on the number of chickens in the normal group, the number of chickens in the moderate and severe groups were equalised (19 birds/group). The effects of the WB score on pH, colour, drip loss, thawing loss and cooking loss of the meat were observed. Result: The body weight of normal meat, moderate WB and severe WB was 2525.26±221.49, 2683.53±273.17 and 2883.78±211.90 g, respectively. The severe WB score occurred when the body weight (g) was heavier than the normal meat group for 14.19% (P less than 0.01). At 24 hours, the pH, drip loss, cooking loss and water content of the severe WB group was significantly higher, while the protein content in the severe WB group was lower than the normal meat group (P less than 0.01). Moreover, the severe WB group presented higher lightness, redness and yellowness values compared to the normal meat group (P less than 0.01). In conclusion, a larger body of broiler chickens, greater than 14% of the strain’s recommendation induced a severe WB score, which caused poor meat quality.

Optimization of a novel vacuum sublimation-rehydration thawing process.

To better guarantee the quality of the thawed meat, maximize the thawing rate, and minimize the system energy consumption, the multiparameter and multi-objective coupling optimizations for the newly proposed vacuum sublimation-rehydration thawing (VSRT) process was conducted. The polynomial nonlinear regression equations of single and comprehensive objectives were established by the central composite rotatable design, and the corresponding test of fitting degree and the analysis of influencing factors order were carried out. Furthermore, the interaction effects of influencing factors were investigated through the response surface methodology and were experimentally validated to obtain the optimal process parameters. The results showed that the established regression equations were in good agreement with the experimental values. For the different objectives, there were great differences in the influence order and interaction of factors. In the sublimation and rehydration stages, there existed an optimal region in the response surface to achieve a better value for the single and comprehensive objectives. When the sublimation time was 19min, the heating plate temperature was 26°C, the rehydration water volume was 1634ml, the rehydration water temperature was 29°C, the thawing time was relatively short (1.00h), and the thawing loss (1.19%), the total color difference (1.02), and the system-specific energy consumption (0.026kWh/kg) were relatively low. The comprehensive performance of the VSRT system reached the best state. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The purpose of this work is to make the novel vacuum sublimation-rehydration thawing method not only better guarantee the quality of thawed meat but also maximize the thawing rate and minimize the energy consumption of the system, which can provide a new idea and reference for the development of new high-efficiency thawing equipment.